We Will Stand Together
by Neverending Daydreams
Summary: A rewrite of some of the scenes in the last few episodes of AtLA, and then some, to pack it chock full of Zutaran goodness. I hope everyone enjoys it!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay, so I think this is the first thing that I've written that really qualifies as a fanfiction. I hope y'all like it. It's just how I always wanted that scene in the last episode to go. It would have been so much better...**

**If you have any suggestions or comments, I'd love to hear them. Really, I would. And I may or may not (haven't decided yet) continue this. We'll see. Have fun drinking in all the Zutara'y goodness.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Katara's blood pounded in her ears as she ran toward Zuko. He was so still, lying there on the ground of the Agni-ki arena. Her scream still echoed in her ears. It had wrenched itself out of her throat almost on its own; her agony was so great when she saw that Zuko had been hit by his sister Azula's lightning.<p>

She had managed to tie her up, but her defeat over Azula would mean nothing if Zuko died. Nothing.

Her feelings towards Zuko had been confusing for a long time. She really wasn't sure when she had started to feel more toward the firebender than a cold diffidence, but then when Zuko had helped her find her mother's killer, her feelings rapidly escalated. She had always been confused about what to feel towards Aang, but now there was no doubt who she really had feelings for.

Sure Katara cared about Aang, and he was the Avatar! She had great respect for his responsibility, and she had traveled with him for so long she didn't quite feel complete without him. But not in the way Aang wanted. He was just her best friend, and not much more.

But Zuko was so, so much more to her. When she saw him, her heart squeezed in her chest. For a long time she hadn't been ready to admit to what her heart was telling her, but she could ignore it no longer.

Now, running toward his motionless body, she was barely keeping herself from screaming and sobbing. Her feet thudded on the stone floor, but when she kneeled beside him she could see his body shuddering from the pain wracking it, could hear his anguished groans from what the energy of the lightning had done to his body.

Katara lifted and tuned him to face her, desperate to heal him. _He can't die, he can't!_ Her thoughts were panicked, barely contained inside her head. She bent water from her flask to coat her hands, and she tremblingly laid them on the giant burn marking Zuko's chest.

Her healing power flowed from the water through his flesh, and she could almost feel the pain leaving him. It was like it was leaving her own body. His muscles relaxed as the pain lessened and his face was no longer grimacing. When she turned and saw that he wasn't going to die, but was looking at her, her heart jumped up into her throat and an almost unbelieving grin lit her features.

"Thank you... Katara." Zuko told her hoarsely, with an exhausted smile on his lips. Her throat constricted and tears filled her eyes. They were tears of joy.

"I think I'm the one who should be thanking you." She replied, her chest heaving. He had been willing to sacrifice his life for her, but was he doing it for a friend, or for something more? She had to know.

She gently slipped her right hand under his head, her thumb tenderly touching his scar that she had come to love, and she slowly brought her face closer to his, her blue eyes riveted on his gold. Her lips trembled slightly, but her heart urged her on.

She felt Zuko's own breathing quicken, felt his muscled tense, as he realized what she meant to do. She almost stopped, but then his hand came up, slowly and weakly. With a hidden reserve of strength, it came up to cup the side her face, and then pushed back into her hair, and his fingers tangled in it, caressed her. And she knew.

Their lips met, and the air around her and Zuko felt electrified. Maybe it was. Maybe it was just her senses, buzzing and alive. She didn't really care at the moment. All she was aware of was her mouth against Zuko's the way they fit together over and over. Her other hand came down and ran through his jet black hair, then slid down around the back of his neck.

Zuko slowly pulled away, looking dazed and almost in a dream. He used his free hand to push his upper body off the ground, his other hand still wrapped in Katara's own wavy brown hair. His eyes were still locked hers, and he seemed able to see into her very soul.

"Do you... do you really mean that?" His voice was still hoarse, but now Katara suspected that it wasn't only exhaustion that made it that way.

"Yes," she answered, her own voice sounding a little strangled. A sob ripped itself from the depths of her chest and out her throat, and she continued with tears streaming even harder down her cheeks, "I mean that now, and I mean that forever." She pulled him to her, his chin on her shoulder, her mouth turned against his ear. "Zuko, I... I..."

"Me too." His voice was barely audible, muffled as it was against her clothes, but she didn't doubt for one second what he meant.

Suddenly they jerked apart when they heard someone start screaming. It was an animalistic, inhuman sound. It was Azula.

The chained firebender rolled on the ground, blue fire shooting from her mouth and burning the ground around her as her cries filled the air. She seemed to have lost herself. She didn't even bother to act human anymore. It was like the vicious cruelty that filled her heart had come to the surface, and she now acted like the animal she was.

It almost pained Katara to see her like this, but looking back at Zuko, seeing what Azula had done to him, hardened her heart. Her arm around him, she helped him to his feet and together they stood facing what was left of his sister. Katara could see pity and sadness in his eyes, but it was not reflected in her own. She didn't think it ever would be.

As they stood side by side, still holding each other, Katara knew that no matter what happened from here on out, they would face it together.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank-you thank-you thankyou for all the comments everyone! Each time I got a new comment I went into a who new bout of euphoria. Thanks so much! So, I really hadn't planned on another fic, but I knew there was a strong possibility. Then, since I felt like writing again tonight, I decided to keep it going. I thought this scene was just _asking_ to be re-written in Zutara's image. I hope you all like it, because I'm pretty happy with it even though there isn't really much actual Zutara in it. Oh well, instead, we have FLASHBACKS!**

**Edit: Now with a new and improved flashback! I really wasn't happy with how I wrote it the first time, so I hope that you won't stay so disappointed with me now that I've fixed it.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Zuko walked slowly down the hallway toward the curtains that separated him from the crowds outside. There was a row of pillars on either side of him, and then a little further out were the curtained off windows in the walls. Sunlight came in through the eastern windows, to his left. Everything was red, except for the lanterns and the bases of the pillars, which were yellow.<p>

It was interesting what you noticed when you were nervous.

He wasn't nervous about addressing the crowds. Okay, maybe that wasn't entirely the truth, but he wasn't _very_ nervous. He knew that he had prepared well. What made him nervous was the sight of the Avatar, Aang, waiting at the end of the hall.

Things between him and his friend had been... uncomfortable, to say the least, ever since everyone had found out about how he and Katara cared for each other

After the rest of the Gaang had returned with Fire Lord Ozai from the battle with the airship fleet, Toph had seemed to know something was going on immediately. However, when she pestered Zuko about it, he denied that anything was going on fervently. "I know you're lying," Toph had said, quite calmly, "but I'll find out what you're hiding eventually, one way or another."

That alone should have warned Zuko to be extra careful. It should have warned him that she was going to keep after this until she had found out what had happened. But unfortunately, he didn't pick up on that.

Later the next day, he and Katara were standing in a darkened hallway. They were just talking at that moment, but Zuko had his pale but muscled arms around her torso, her back to his chest. His chin was rested on her shoulder, and he was breathing in the sweet scent of Fire Lilies, a perfume she had taken to wearing lately.

They had actually been talking about how to tell everyone about... them, but their views of the situation differed. Katara didn't think it would cause any undue excitement, but Zuko was apprehensive, sure that everyone would explode.

"You shouldn't worry Zuko," Katara said soothingly, turning her head to speak into his ear. "No matter what they think, I don't care. It will never change how I feel." Then, twisting in his arms, she pressed her mouth gently to his, wrapping her dusky arms around his neck.

Zuko was just starting to relax into the kiss, just starting to forget his troubled thoughts, when a triumphant voice exclaimed, "Ha! I KNEW something happened!"

Zuko hastily pulled away from Katara, horrified that they had been found out like _this_. He should really have taken Toph's warning to heart.

He pleaded with her, begged her not to tell anyone. Even though Katara was trying to convince him that it was no big deal, he felt like the world was coming to an end. He even tried to bribe her, but Toph was having none of it. "Look Sparky, you owe it to everyone to tell them. And if you don't, I will." Zuko couldn't believe it when Katara agreed with her.

When he finally agreed to try to explain things to Sokka, the young earth bender escorted him, just to make sure he didn't try anything funny. Katara stood nearby for moral support.

Zuko tried, he really did, but all he could manage were stammering, broken sentences. "I... your sister... But it isn't like that! and I really..." Finally, after watching poor Sokka get more and more confused, Toph could take no more.

"Zuko made out with your sister," she said with an exasperated eye-roll, but then she grinned, immensely pleased with herself for being the one to find out.

"Whaaat?" Sokka exploded, his voice cracking to an impossible pitch. Zuko's jaw dropped open at the way Toph had put it, and Katara finally rushed over to help fix things. While they were both frantically trying to explain and Katara was trying to keep Sokka from strangling Zuko, Aang wandered over. Things only went downhill from there.

Aang ended up walking away coldly after giving Zuko a death-glare, which caused the recipient to flinch. Who knew if actually _did_ have a death-glare. He was the Avatar after all. Sokka just eyed Zuko suspiciously, after he and Katara finished talking to him, and the Katara went after the air bender.

Zuko never found out what exactly she said to him, but when they returned together, the Avatar was considerably more subdued, and then he retreated to his room to meditate. Ever since, things between Aang and Zuko had been... awkward. Sokka had pretty much gotten accepted it, knowing he was unable to change anything.

Now as he drew closer to the air bender, he saw Aang's eyes open slightly, looking a little unfocused like he'd just been deep in thought. He paused before the door, unsure exactly what to say. Then, with his legendary eloquence, he started, "I can't believe a year ago my purpose in life was hunting you down." Zuko winced. Maybe he shouldn't have brought that up, but he forged on. "And now..." again he paused, unsure what they _were_ exactly now.

The Avatar gazed at him steadily, to all appearances at peace. Then he sighed, allowing a slightly regretful smile to come to his face he finished Zuko's sentence. "And now we're friends."

Zuko was filled with relief. Aang didn't hate him. He hadn't known how much that had really mattered until it had recently become a question. He had grown accustomed to his newfound friendship with the young air bender, and when he had thought that he could lose it, he had agonized over what he could do to fix things. Katara had reassured him over and over that Aang would understand their feelings for each other, but still Zuko worried. He was glad it wasn't an issue any more.

"Yeah," Zuko replied with conviction, "we are friends."

Aang rose to his feet. "I can't believe a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice," he said, apparently willing to continue their conversation. "The world's so different now," he said reflectively. Zuko knew that he wasn't just thinking about politics and world peace, but also about things a little closer to home.

"And it's gonna be even more different," Zuko said, more confidently now, choosing to ignore what was being hinted at. A little hesitantly, he placed his hand on Aang's shoulder. "We'll rebuild it together."

Aang's shoulder stiffened slightly under Zuko's touch, but then relaxed. Nodding, he finally followed Zuko through the curtains with a Fire Nation symbol on them.

A gong sounded as they walked out the door and to the end of the carpet underneath the covered platform, and the fire sages bowed their heads in respect. A great cheering went up from the crowds assembled before the Fire-prince, but Zuko raised his hand modestly, requesting silence. "Please. The real hero here, is the Avatar." It was true. Aang had been the one to defeat Ozai, and he deserved the recognition and praise more than Zuko.

Another huge cheer went up as the Avatar stepped into the light. As Aang looked out over the crowds, Zuko studied his face. It was a mixture of contentment and pride, but not pride in himself. Aang was proud of all the people before him, how they had helped the world in the past, and how they would continue to help in the future.

Zuko smiled, glad to have Aang as his friend.

Out in the crowds Katara, standing beside her father and brother, gazed at the two figures with her own sense of pride as Zuko addressed the crowd. When the fire sages announced, "All hail, Fire Lord Zuko," her heart nearly burst, and tears did come to her eyes. She didn't bother wiping them away.

Zuko stood beside the Avatar, prepared to take on whatever the world threw at them, especially with the help of the young water bender girl that had captured his heart. _I am ready._


	3. Chapter 3

Katara could hear Zuko's muffled footsteps long before she could actually see him. These long twisting hallways made it easy to lose your way, probably a feature designed purposefully to confuse people, since prisoners would never quit trying to escape.

When Zuko had asked her to go with him to the prison to speak to his father, she had been...apprehensive would be an understatement. Facing down Azula was one thing, because no matter how scary she got, the knowledge that she wasn't any older than Katara herself made her seem more... human; more defeatable. But Fire Lord, or rather the late Fire Lord, Ozai was practically god-like in his untouchability.

Yes, she had always encouraged Aang whenever he lost his confidence in his ability to defeat the Fire Lord. However, at her core in some deep, hidden away part of her heart, there was that grain of doubt as to whether the Avatar really would be to win. She would never have admitted to this, but when Ozai _had_ been defeated, it seemed like a miracle. She had been so relieved, but the fact that the once-Fire Lord was still alive had bothered her. Who was to say that he wouldn't somehow find a way to plunge the world back into darkness and despair?

She had mentioned this once to Sokka, but he had simply laughed it off. "Come on Katara, there's no way that... loser lord is going to ever be able to do anything to us, now that he's locked up for the rest of his miserable life." When she brought it up to Aang he didn't laugh, but though his eyes were kind, they were also condescending, as if he believed that it wasn't her fault for not knowing any better. "It's okay Katara. Now that I've taken his bending away, he won't ever be able to hurt or threaten anyone, ever again."

But you didn't need bending to threaten someone. He had been _Fire Lord!_ Surely he had connections, evil people out in the world willing to kill and destroy at his request. No, Katara would never truly feel peace as long as the Fire Lord lived.

Zuko understood, though. He had known his father better than any of the Gaang, and he knew how the world worked. When she had voiced her concerns to him, he had listened. When she was done, his arms folded around her, pulling her tight against him. Though it was a bit awkward in that wonderful way Zuko has, it gave Katara immense comfort. "I know Katara. Trust me, I know. But together..." and here he looked into her blue eyes, his own eyes piercing and his voice hardening, "we can make sure he never gets the chance."

At that time, that had seemed like all the reassurance she had needed. When Zuko said it, she knew that she could trust it to be true, and that was the only reason she had agreed to go with him now. But at the moment, in a Fire Nation prison deep in the caldera of and extinct volcano, her confidence was slipping again. Even though she didn't even have to even come face to face with Ozai, she could practically feel his evil contaminating her as long she was in the same building as him, and the fact that the building was to creepy didn't help either.

Now, the sound of his footsteps echoing through the corridors broke her away from her pacing, and she turned eagerly and hopefully toward the direction the noises came from. However, the sounds seemed to be becoming more uneven, staggered a little, like he was hurt.

By the time he came into view, the expression on his face nearly broke her heart. The pointed shoulders on his formal robe sagged. His eyes, his stance, his very presence seemed... lost. Immediately she rushed toward him, her arms encircling his torso. This time she was providing the comfort. She didn't have to even say anything, but he clung to her like a drowning man would to driftwood. A shudder ripped through his body, and she could feel a warm, wet, salty tear run down the back of her neck where Zuko had pressed his face. She held him tighter.

They stood there, wrapped in each other, for who knew how long. There was no way to actually tell time down in these corridors, just the flickering of the torches telling you that time was passing at all. As they stood there, Zuko's breathing slowly began to even out, and a shiver only passed through him occasionally. Katara didn't have the heart to ask him what his father had said that had devastated him so, so all she did was hold onto him at his side as they left the prison and walked down the long, winding path that would lead them home.

* * *

><p>In one of the private rooms of the palace, they had collapsed on a low recliner after he had removed his formal robe. Katara waited to hear what had happened, but she didn't push to know. She was lying on her side, her spine pressed against his chest and his arm still curled gently around her. He was still in a terribly fragile state, so she simply let the new Fire Lord decide when to talk.<p>

She could feel him start, then stop, many times. He would take a breath, start to say something, but then his voice would fail him and all the air would leave his lungs again, leaving him struggling to rein in his emotion once again. Finally though, he spoke to her in a strained and cracked voice. "He said she was dead."

Katara's body tensed, but she still didn't say anything. What could she say? I'm sorry? It would have bee such a superficial thing. No, there was nothing she could say, and that hurt her even more.

He brokenly continued, "He had her exiled." A sharp, harsh laugh burst from his lungs. "He said 'She killed the Fire Lord. It was the law.' Like he had ever been restricted to the law."

At this bit of news, Katara really was shocked. Zuko's mother killed Fire Lord Azulon? _I thought she was good?_ But really, it sort of made sense in a way. Zuko had told her a little about when his mother had disappeared while they were on the way to the prison, and Katara knew that if she had been threatened with the death of her own son, she wouldn't hesitate to do something like that.

Finally Katara asked, "Did he say where?"

"To an Earth Kingdom colony on the very edge of the territory controlled by the Fire Nation." All the anger seemed to drain out of his body, and with it, the last of his strength. "Katara, my… Ozai decreed she had to leave the Fire Nation before the day was over, or she would be killed. But if the Earth Kingdom found her…"

"…they would kill her," Katara finished. "Oh Zuko…" her hushed whisper could hardly have carried to the fire bender's ears, but nonetheless, at that moment his arms tightened and he pressed his face to her hair. Katara gently turned herself over, but when her face began to gravitate towards his, there was a knock at the door.

With one last sad squeeze, he released her so that he could get up and go to the door. He straightened his shoulder, stood taller, and suddenly, to all outward appearances, it seemed as though the Fire Lord was fine. Katara was the only one who knew otherwise.

She could hear voices, but they were not distinct enough to be able to hear what was being said. After only a few seconds though, a minute at most, Zuko returned. "Someone has requested an audience with me. They were told I was indisposed but," sighing, he continued, "it appears they grew very insistent. I need to go to the audience chamber."

"Would you like me to go with you?" Katara asked. She felt that Zuko still needed someone there he could lean on, if only metaphorically.

Looking at her, he considered, and his eyes softened. "Yes," his voice almost a whisper again, "I would."

* * *

><p>Now, walking down the scarlet colored halls lit by flickering lamp light, Katara reached for his hand. "We can still look, you know. I have hope that… we may be able to find her."<p>

Zuko squeezed back, but his spirit seemed broken.

They entered though a small side door, and when Zuko parted from her to sit on the fire encircled throne, Katara stood back in one of the many shadows thrown from the flickering orange flames. She had her hand ready on her water skin, just in case this person was threatening, but when the doors on the far end of the hall opened, Katara could clearly see that the person standing there was no threat.

It was an older woman, her hair graying, When she walked, there was a slight hesitation in her step. Before she even got within twenty feet of the throne, she knelt to the floor. A surprisingly strong and sweet sounding voice said, "My Lord."

It didn't seem like such a great thing to Katara, but almost before she could register him moving Zuko was halfway out of his seat. "Who are you?"

Katara's eyes widened. His voice had been strangled, almost unrecognizable. As if realizing this, his next words were gentler, though he still didn't sit down.

"Please, stand up." His voice had a pleading, heart wrenching note to it that made Katara's heart squeeze. Still the woman remained prostrated on the floor, but she seemed to have begun trembling. Zuko, not waiting a second longer, left the throne and went to her side, gently taking the woman by the shoulders and raising her to her feet. Suddenly, he cried out in a shocked voice, and in an instant Katara had unstopped her water skin and prepared to freeze the visitor up to their neck in ice.

However, before Katara could make her move, the two embraced tightly. Now she was confused, this mixed reaction making her unsure what to do. After a few seconds though, after finally getting a look at the woman's face, she knew why Zuko was behaving like this. She had recognized the face, aged though it was, from pictures she had seen. She was so shocked she swayed on her feet. It was Ursa. It was Zuko's mother.

Mother and son were finally reunited. Zuko overjoyed, and Ursa responding slowly, at first tentative, and then with increasing surety. In the light thrown from the fire you could see shining trails streaming down both of their cheeks. Katara stood to the side watching, unable to tear her eyes away, and as her heart filled with the joy of her beloved and his mother finally being reunited again, tears fell from her own eyes as well.

**A/N: These are so much fun to write! I hope y'all like this new chapter. I'm thinking about adding on a bit at the end, but for now, this is about it. Please message me if you see a mistake! I'm a perfectionist ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So, a quick jump back in time. The other night I was watching the Southern Raiders episode with my sister, and I noticed that they totally skipped Katara and Zuko's trip back to the camp. Here is what I think happened. It's not necessarily Zutara, but for me this is where their "relationship" starts for realz.**

**I also want to thank all the reviews and favs to this weirdly strung out series of Zutaran one-shots. Some are better than others, but you guys read them all anyway. It makes me feel so happy... or maybe that's just my happy pills talking. :D**

* * *

><p>The silence was suffocating on the trip back to their camp.<p>

Zuko was holding the reins to Appa, not that he needed to, while Katara sat behind him in the saddle mulling over what had happened. He felt like he should say something, anything, but nothing sounded right in his head; he couldn't really practice out loud like the last time either. That didn't ever work well anyhow.

What _could_ he say? "I'm sorry the man that killed your mother was so pathetic, you couldn't even avenge her death"? Maybe they could go somewhere she could let out some anger; blasting something with firebending usually made Zuko feel better.

However, Zuko had the feeling that if he said or suggested anything, he would only be met with hostility. He had learned already that when Katara was upset, she tended to lash out at anything that moved.

But Agni, he couldn't just leave her. From her increasingly dark expression, Zuko could tell she was ripping herself apart about what had happened. She let Yon Ra, the murderous… she let Yon Ra live. She had to feel like she had let her mother down somehow, like she'd left something unfinished.

So, what could he do? After thinking and thinking, Zuko finally decided that even if he did come up with something to say, nothing would go according to plan, so why bother? Sighing, he put the reins down. He leaned down and scratched Appa behind his horn. "Just keep flying big guy; I'll be right back… hopefully."

When he climbed into the saddle, there was no reaction from the other occupant. No acknowledgement, no glare, not even a glance. Zuko settled himself somewhat awkwardly against the opposite edge of the saddle, crossing his legs in front of him and resting his hands on his knees. After sitting that way for a while, struggling to find something to say, Katara finally noticed him.

"Oh, is it my turn to fly Appa?" She shook her head and rubbed her eyes, as if she had just come out of a deep sleep. Before she could get up though, Zuko laid a restraining hand on her arm. He felt her flinch, but he stubbornly left it there.

"No, I just wanted to talk to you. Appa will be fine for a little while." He took a breath to continue, but drew a blank as to what to say. Finally after a pause of a few seconds, Katara's anger finally flared.

Shaking off his hand, she spat "Look, if you're just going to sit there like an idiot, I'm going to go take the reins." She started to get up, but again Zuko's stopped her, this time catching hold of her own hand.

"I know you still don't like me, but someone needs to say this." He pulled her arm gently until she sat back down, albeit reluctantly.

"Say what?" Katara asked exasperated, frowning and crossing her arms over her chest.

"That… that you didn't do anything wrong, and that-"

Katara harshly interrupted him. "Do anything wrong? Of course I didn't do anything wrong! That man… HE is the one that did something wrong! He murdered an innocent woman. He deserves a thousand deaths, and by Tui and La, I hope he gets what's coming to him." Stopping for breath, her rage turned on Zuko. Sneering, she continued, "So thank you so much for telling me I didn't do anything _wrong_. I didn't kill anyone, and Aang's precious 'all life is sacred' is still safe. I really needed _you_ to tell me that."

During her outburst Zuko's ears caught a crackling sound below them, and a quick glance to the left revealed a gleaming path of jagged ice. Hundreds of razor-sharp spikes were all directed upward toward the very very powerful and very very angry master waterbender on board. Cringing inwardly, Zuko thanked the spirits that she hadn't actually tried to spit him on one of those. Ouch.

Turning her head away Katara glared out across the passing waves, resolutely ignoring him. He had to exhale out his nose several times to get his temper under control. Sometimes she could be so… Arrgh, this girl drove him crazy.

Sighing again and rubbing the bridge of his nose, Zuko was about to try to fix things (and probably make the situation worse) when he heard her murmur to herself "I let him get away… with nothing but some bruised fruit." She drew her knees up and rested her chin on them, stewing over her own thoughts again.

Zuko cautiously edged over, cutting into her line of sight. She avoided his gaze for a while, but finally reluctantly met it. Her eyes were exhausted, dark bags growing underneath once again. She looked… like she had no hope left; like she was giving up.

"Look Katara, I know how you feel." Holding up a hand when she tried to interrupt, he continued. "I've lost a mother too. I've felt the need for revenge, to do something, anything; to make someone _pay_." His eyes roved the skies for a moment. "But what else could you have done? Killed him as a pathetic, empty old man? Where is the honor in that?"

"I know Zuko! I know… but I just let him go. How is _that_ the right thing, the _honorable_ thing to do?" Her brows were furrowed, her eyes shining as she stared straight into his eyes and asked in a choked voice, "Does she not deserve retribution?"

Her appearance, her loss and utter heartbreak, struck Zuko to the core and left him without a reply for a few seconds. Finally, he tried to think of what his uncle Iroh would say. "The world is like a spinning top." He winced. Maybe not exactly what Uncle would say? "Sometimes when it is out of balance, it needs someone so spin it again, so that in will stand straight once more. That is what the Avatar does for the world. But other times when it hits a bump and goes out of balance, it will right itself without help." He was thinking hard, trying to reassure her. "I know that, even though you didn't deliver the punishment you think he deserves, the world will sense any injustice and he _will_ get his due, spirits willing. And because of you, he will never be able to forget what he did."

At some point his hand had found hers again, and after Zuko had finished speaking she simply looked at their interlocked fingers while she thought over what he said. Finally she released a large breath, and with it most of her remaining resentment, anger, and uncertainty. She looked up at him with still saddened eyes, but gave a little smile. "Thanks Zuko."

He replied with a small, relieved smile back. Katara gave his hand a small squeeze before releasing it and leaning back against the saddle. Zuko got up, somewhat stiffly, and climbed back over the front edge of the saddle to take the reins. In the distance he could see an island, a landmark on course. He ruffled the skybison's fur in front of him as he settled himself. "Thanks buddy."

* * *

><p>They rode for a while in a much more comfortable silence, and after a few more hours Katara came to relieve him at the reins. Zuko snatched an hour of sleep, but then he was too restless to doze any longer. Something was on his mind again. Leaning over the front of the saddle, he tentatively called, "Katara?"<p>

"Yeah Zuko?" She turned her head to face him, and as her hair whipped across her eyes he couldn't help but notice how much better she looked. Still not happy, but infinitely better. Clearing those thoughts from his head, he asked what he had been mulling over. "Back when we were on the Southern Raiders' ship, and we were interrogating the captain, you… controlled him. How did you do that?"

Katara turned back around and sighed. "Zuko, how do you always know exactly what I don't want you to ask about?" He was on the verge of apologizing and telling her to forget about it when she continued, "I'm not proud of it, but I learned to bloodbend one _awful_ night in the Earth Kingdom colonies. There was an old woman, an innkeeper, named Hama…"


End file.
